Standards Policy Exploiting a Best Practice from Space (and Missile Systems Center) OMB Circular A-119 Revision Published in January 2016 GSA Is Updating the Federal Standardization Manual
Contents July/September 2016 1 Director s Forum 3 Exploiting a Best Practice from Space (and Missile Systems Center) 8 OMB Circular A-119 Revision Published in January 2016 3 14 GSA Is Updating the Federal Standardization Manual Departments 20 Program News 22 Events 24 People 8 The DSP Journal is available only in electronic form. To receive issues, please subscribe at the DSP website, www.dsp.dla.mil, or e-mail DSP-Editor@DLA.mil and put Subscribe in the subject line. 14 The Defense Standardization Program Journal (ISSN 0897-0245) is published four times a year by the Defense Standardization Program Office (DSPO). Opinions represented here are those of the authors and may not represent official policy of the U.S. Department of Defense. Letters, articles, news items, photographs, and other submissions for the DSP Journal are welcomed and encouraged. Send all materials to Editor, DSP Journal, Defense Standardization Program Office, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, STOP 5100, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6220. DSPO is not responsible for unsolicited materials. Materials can be submitted digitally by the following means: e-mail to DSP-Editor@dla.mil CD or DVD to DSP Journal at the above address. DSPO reserves the right to modify or reject any submission as deemed appropriate. Gregory E. Saunders Director, Defense Standardization Program Office Nicole Dumm Editor, Defense Standardization Program Journal Defense Standardization Program Office 8725 John J. Kingman Road, STOP 5100 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6220 703-767-6888 Fax 703-767-6876 dsp.dla.mil
Director s Forum As we begin looking ahead to 2017, I m reminded of the ancient Chinese saying, May you live in interesting times. Some interpret this proverb as a curse; others as a blessing. I certainly hope it s a blessing because the upcoming year promises interesting times for standardization policies and guidance. Here are some of the major areas in DoD standardization policies, procedures, and guidance you can look forward to in 2017. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has updated its Circular A-119, Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities. We are now in the process of revising the SD-9, DoD Guidance on Participating in the Development and Use of Non-Government Standards, to bring it into alignment with the revised circular. While most of the changes affect the regulatory federal agencies, two areas that may impact DoD are the circular s expanded emphasis on using private-sector mechanisms to assess conformance to requirements and to rely more on standards that are accepted globally in order to increase the acceptance of U.S. products in the world marketplace. The General Services Administration (GSA) is in the process of updating the Federal Standardization Manual (FSM), which will impact the way DoD develops and manages federal specifications and standards and commercial item descriptions. For the most part, GSA is making changes to bring the FSM into alignment with the DoD standardization policies and procedures in DoD Manual 4120.24, and to implement the revised OMB Circular A-119. The FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), if enacted in its present form, will require DoD to use Modular Open Systems Architectures (MOSA) as an approach to achieve greater systems interoperability, facilitate technology refreshment, increase competition, stimulate innovation, and reduce cost. Standards are key to implementing MOSA. There will be a growing emphasis to standardize physical, Gregory E. Saunders Director Defense Standardization Program Office dsp.dla.mil 1
electrical, electronic, and digital interfaces to allow for more rapid and affordable system design and technology insertion. Standards are also essential if DoD is to move away from sole-source proprietary solutions to competitive solutions. Counterfeit parts detection and avoidance will continue to be a hot spot. SAE International recently approved revision B to AS5553, Counterfeit Electronic Parts Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition Systems, and a brand-new associated implementation guide, ARP6328. However, the requirements to address counterfeit parts problems are a moving target, and plans are already underway to update these documents. In the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Committee on Standardization is looking to simplify and clarify the procedures for developing NATO standardization agreements and standards. At the same time, NATO is taking a page from OMB Circular A-119 and trying to promote greater use of non-government standards (NATO uses the term civil standards ). The result of these efforts will be a revision K to the NATO Allied Publication AAP-03, Production, Maintenance and Management of NATO Standardization Documents. In my last Director s Message, I discussed the Semantic Web for Interoperability of Specifications and Standards (SWISS) initiative to transform standards into digital models and allow information to be fully and more easily integrated into design, manufacturing, and sustainment processes and to provide for cross-platform and standards-developing organization interoperability. As the SWISS initiative nears implementation, it will be necessary to revise MIL-STDs 961, 962, 963, and 967 to support the SWISS requirements in our DoD standardization documents. Of course, these changes in standardization policies and guidance are just the ones we know are underway or under consideration. With a new administration, we will likely see additional changes and new directions. Interesting times? Yes. But also some interesting opportunities. 2 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
Exploiting a Best Practice from Space (and Missile Systems Center) By Edward Durell dsp.dla.mil 33
First, a few numbers and some context. There are nearly 29,000 active standardization documents in the library of the Defense Standardization Program Office. There are approximately 80 DoD and Air Force policy documents that may contain content applicable to a program manager. The Defense Acquisition Guidebook lists more than 20 design considerations and 17 systems engineering processes. And there are literally thousands of military and industry standards addressing the standard practices, design criteria, and interfaces that aid in the achievement of both acquisition and mission success. The confluence of all this creates an especially challenging environment for a program manager or systems engineer attempting to execute an acquisition, procure spares, or sustain a fielded system. In an effort to help program offices accomplish the daunting task of selecting, tailoring, and applying standards on contract, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is developing recommended standards for each USAF portfolio area that will be institutionalized in an official Air Force publication. Background For many years, the Defense Standardization Program has authored Standardization Document (SD) 21, titled Listing of Specifications and Standards Mandated for Use by the Department of Defense by Public Laws or Government Regulations. It is a powerful tool that takes untold hours to update. Coupled with this document and an inspiration sparked by the Air Force s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), the Air Force standardization and acquisition office started to explore what else could be done. In the early 2000s, there were a number of very public Air Force space launch failures. Engineers at SMC collectively sharpened their pencils and set about making changes to eliminate such mission failures and anomalies. One specific change was the re-institutionalization of a standards program and the development of a list of standardization documents that they wanted every space program to use. SMC has incorporated this list (hereafter, picklist ) into its command media. The SMC pick-list identifies standards for key functional areas. Dave Davis, SMC chief systems engineer, has been involved since the beginning. He recently said, The successful SMC standards approach has been established in policy and is maintained in collaboration with subject matter experts and program experience to achieve space mission success. Officials at Air Staff took note of the best practice and sought to evolve and broaden it to other Air Force domains. 4 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
Content Next, we evolve the pick-list concept. After considerable deliberation, a decision was made to develop a pick-list for each of the Air Force s 15 programs and portfolios with an assigned program executive officer (PEO) (see Table 1). Another key decision was to associate the standardization documents to design considerations and systems engineering processes; finally as an homage to SD-21, if a standardization document is mandated or referenced in policy, it too would be included on each pick-list and associated with the policy citation. For a final touch, even standards that are not mentioned in policy, but that may nonetheless be helpful, were included. The result is a PEO-specific pick-list that provides standardization documents (MIL-STDs and industry standards) that can be placed on contract. It also provides useful documents that are not intended to be placed on contract but that may provide helpful guidance for working-level engineers in a program office for example, a military handbook (MIL-HDBK). The documents in the pick-list are systems engineering-centric. Mr. Davis added, The pick-lists are modeled after the successful 14-year history of the SMC s judicious use of a standards baseline to achieve mission and acquisition success and will provide significant value to other USAF organizations. Table 1. Air Force Programs and Portfolios with a PEO Number Program name 1 Agile Combat Support 2 Battle Management 3 Business Enterprise Systems 4 Combat and Mission Support 5 Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence and Networks 6 F-35 7 Fighter Bomber 8 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces 9 Laboratories (technology executive officer, vs. PEO) 10 Mobility 11 Rapid Capabilities 12 Space 13 Strategic Systems 14 Tankers 15 Weapons dsp.dla.mil 5
Development of the lists entailed data-mining nearly 100 policy documents (see Table 2), DSPO s ASSIST document management database, and recently issued requests for proposals. Table 2. Types of Materials Used in Additive Manufacturing Processes Series number Series title 11 Flying Operations 20 Logistics 21 Maintenance 23 Materiel Management 24 Transportation 62 Developmental Engineering 63 Acquisition 90 Special Management 91 Safety 99 Test and Evaluation Note: Also data-mined were related DoD counterparts. Implementation and Benefit Lastly, Air Force level policy directs the prudent use of standards to define requirements and reduce risk; but Air Force Instruction (AFI) 63-101, Integrated Lifecycle Management, will not make use of the pick-lists mandatory. Each PEO-specific pick-list, with an accompanying set of instructions, will be published in Air Force Pamphlet (AFPAM) 63-128, Integrated Lifecycle Management, to be available for programs to consider using as applicable. A pointer to AFPAM 63-128 will appear in AFI 63-101/20-101. Sustainment of the lists will include an annual update largely devoted to reviewing changes in both policy and standardization documents. Since the inception of this endeavor, the goal has been to provide program offices with a product that should make their jobs a little easier. 6 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
About the Author Edward Durell is the Headquarters Air Staff lead for the Air Force Departmental Standardization Office, where he regularly advises the Air Force Standardization Executive. As an Air Force civilian for over 30 years, he has held numerous technical and management positions at both Headquarters and Air Logistics Center functional organizations, and within program offices. These include engineering assignments in facilities, real property infrastructure, and aerospace systems. He is a registered professional engineer. dsp.dla.mil 7
OMB Circular A-119 Revision Published in January 2016 By Trudie Williams and Mary Donaldson 8 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
The U.S. standards system is based on the interrelationship of private-sector leadership and federal government contributions in the standards development process. For decades, the government has recognized the pivotal role that voluntary consensus standards (non-government standards) play in both its procurement and regulatory environments. This recognition was first formalized in 1980 when the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved and issued OMB Circular A-119, Federal Participation and Use of Voluntary Standards. This document provided policy guidance to the Executive Department and Agencies in participating in the development of voluntary standards and in their subsequent use. Enacted in 1996, the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA) (Public Law 104-113) furthered the effectiveness of the circular by codifying its policies on the development, selection, and use of voluntary consensus standards; participation in standards development activities; consideration for reliance on private-sector conformity assessment mechanisms; and designation of the Department of Commerce s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as the coordinator of federal agency conformity assessment activities and use of private-sector standards. Since 1980, there have been several revisions of OMB Circular A-119, including a 1998 revision that reflected tenets set forth in the NTTAA. The latest revision to the circular captures knowledge gained in implementing the 1998 circular as well as policy developments in both the domestic and international regulatory, standards, and conformity assessment arenas. The revised circular also supports the regulatory policies and principles contained in several relevant executive orders (EOs): EO 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review EO 13563, Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review EO 13609, Promoting International Regulatory Cooperation EO 13610, Identifying and Reducing Regulatory Burdens. In addition, the circular advances the strategic objectives found in a January 2012 White House memorandum to federal agencies, Principles for Federal Engagement in Standards Activities to Address National Priorities. Key Themes Several key themes have emerged from the revised circular. 1. CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING AND USING VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS AND OTHER TYPES OF STANDARDS The revision continues a preference for using existing voluntary consensus standards over government-unique standards unless this use would be inconsistent with law or oth- dsp.dla.mil 9
erwise impractical. In cases where there is no suitable voluntary standard, federal agencies are encouraged to consider the use of suitable voluntary standards not developed by voluntary consensus standards bodies as an alternative to developing or relying on government-unique standards. However, voluntary consensus standards are still preferred by the circular because these documents are developed using processes that provide for openness, balance of representation, due process, appeals, and consensus in decision making. The circular s guidance also states a preference for performance versus design standards when these documents can be effectively used to meet mission requirements. Included within the circular are several evaluative factors to consider when deciding whether to use a particular voluntary consensus standard. The suitability of the standard for agency use: The cost of other available standards that might meet agency needs The problems addressed by the standard and the technology changes that may have occurred since the document was prepared is the standard outdated? The clarity and detail of the standard s language The extent to which the standard is performance versus design based The extent to which the developing organization s processes reflect openness, balance, due process, appeals, and consensus The apparent existence of barriers to membership and participation in the standards development process, such as strict/narrow rules for participation and an exorbitant fee structure The degree to which the voluntary consensus standard is made reasonably available to all interested parties. 2. DETERMINING THE REASONABLE AVAILABILITY OF A STANDARD The text of the circular reaffirms that federal agencies must respect the copyright of standards: The agency should work with the relevant standards developer to promote the availability of the materials, consistent with applicable law, such as through the use of technological solutions, low-cost-publication, or other appropriate means, while respecting the copyright owner s interest in protecting its intellectual property. Determining whether a voluntary consensus standard is reasonably available can be very subjective. However, the revision does suggest weighing several factors: The willingness of the standards-developing body to provide read-only access to the standard for free on its website during the comment period The ease of access to electronically available standards including registration and navigation of the website The cost to obtain a copy of the standard 10 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
The willingness of the standards developer to provide a freely available, nontechnical summary of the document that explains the content of the standard in a text that can be comprehended by interested parties lacking technical expertise. The circular discourages agencies from discounting a standard simply because all of the above-mentioned factors are not met. 3. PARTICIPATING IN STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES The circular continues to support the NTTAA (Section 12[d][2]) by stating that agencies must consult with voluntary standards bodies, including bodies that develop international standards, and must participate with such bodies in the development of standards when consultation and participation are in the public interest and [are] compatible with their missions, authorities, priorities, and budgetary resources. The guidance directs each agency to ensure that qualified representatives participate in development activities to the extent that law and regulation allow and resource constraints permit. The circular directs these representatives to engage in the standards development process on an equal basis with other members; to take part in open discussion and technical debates; and to get involved both in writing standards and crafting procedures for preparing, reviewing, and approving documents. In furtherance of NTTAA principles, agency participants are encouraged to take active leadership roles in standards activities, including serving in board positions. There are caveats to assuming these leadership positions: individuals should be engaged in agency-approved standards-setting activities, and the appearance of undue influence in the standards-setting process should be avoided. The revised guidance puts new emphasis on transparency by advising agencies to alert the public about ongoing or planned participation in voluntary consensus standards activities that relate to national priority issues or support significant regulatory action. 4. CHOOSING METHODS OF CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT The circular expands upon previous NTTAA, U.S. statutory and international obligations, and NIST s guidance on conformity assessment. It directs the agencies to use private-sector conformity assessment mechanisms and engage in conformity assessment activities that effectively meet mission requirements, minimize regulatory burden, support international obligations, leverage agency resources, and increase the acceptance of U.S. products in the world marketplace. The guidance encourages the agencies to work closely with NIST and OMB to identify conformity assessment needs and assess whether using international and private-sector methods in lieu of or in conjunction with government-unique procedures would best meet objectives. In choosing conformity assessment procedures, agencies are asked to consider the level of confidence needed, the risks associated with noncompliance, and the costs of demonstrating conformity. dsp.dla.mil 11
5. CONSIDERING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND OBLIGATIONS The guidance stipulates that in the regulatory environment, for certain types of standards and regulations and where certain conditions apply, the United States is obligated to use relevant international standards under international trade agreements to which the United States is a party. The exception to this guidance is in cases where using the international standard would be ineffective or inappropriate in meeting agency objectives. Agencies are requested to confer with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) when evaluating whether a voluntary standard developed by a particular standards body is defined as international by the World Trade Organization s Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement. Furthermore, the circular directs agencies to consult with USTR and the State Department for insights as to how to comply with international trade and other obligations related to standards and conformity assessment. 6. ADDITIONAL AGENCY GUIDANCE The circular encourages greater coordination among federal agencies so that all can be kept apprised of voluntary standards activities within the regulatory and procurement communities. It further strengthens the role of Agency Standards Executives and charges them with ensuring that agency compliance with the circular s policies is a priority. Summary OBM Circular A-119 has been revised to reflect changes in policies and practices since the 1998 update. The revised circular contains guidance on the following: Choosing and using voluntary consensus standards in government programs when practical Actively participating in voluntary consensus standards development Considering reasonable availability of voluntary standards Using private-sector conformity assessment mechanisms when appropriate Bearing in mind international obligations in using standards and conformity assessment Encouraging a stronger role for Agency Standards Executives. For more information on the DoD non-government standards program, please contact Trudie Williams at trudie.williams@dla.mil. 12 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
About the Authors Trudie L. Williams is a program analyst in the Defense Standardization Program Office, which supports standardization and standardization-related initiatives within the Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics). Her principal focus within the DSPO is on developing policies, procedures, and programs related to DoD s effort to adopt and use non-government standards. Mary Donaldson, National Institute of Standards and Technology, has over 30 years of diversified experience in federal agency use of standards, regulations, and standards policy. Before working for NIST, she served as an economist with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Mary currently serves as the executive secretary for the Interagency Committee on Standards Policy and serves on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Executive Standards Council and the ANSI ISO Council. dsp.dla.mil 13
GSA Is Updating the Federal Standardization Manual By Jennifer Moffat 14 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
The General Services Administration (GSA), Federal Acquisition Service, is currently revising the 2000 edition of the Federal Standardization Manual (FSM). The proposed date for implementing the revised FSM is December 2016. This article provides a brief background of the origins of federal standardization policy, where it currently resides, and the basis for which many of the proposed revisions came. An update will also be given, chapter by chapter, as to the draft changes that are being proposed. Anyone with an interest in the document is encouraged to comment on the draft by contacting GSA at the address listed in the conclusion of this article. Origins of Federal Standardization Policy The origins of the federal standardization policy can be found in the 1947 49 recommendations of the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of Government, also known as the Hoover Commission. A task force report on the federal supply system addressed the subject of a standard specification. The report recommended that responsibility for federal specification activities reside in a standards division in the central supply organization, in the Executive Office of the President. Those recommendations were implemented in the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, which created GSA and within it the Federal Supply Service, now the Federal Acquisition Service. Section 206 of the Public Law provides authority for GSA s responsibility to maintain a uniform cataloging and specification system. The present policy pertaining to the program is contained in Federal Management Regulation (FMR) section 102-27, which transitioned from Federal Property Management Regulation (FPMR) 101-29. This policy is now disseminated via the FSM. Sources Used for the Revision In updating the FSM, several sources for the changes were used, including the following: Feedback from standardization management activities Feedback from GSA regional technical associates Revised editions of MIL-STD-961 and MIL-STD-962, and changes made to the Defense Standardization Program (DSP) Procedures Manual, DoDM 4120.24-DSP Procedures. With information from multiple source documents, stakeholder comments, and looking at changes made by DoD, this became the basis for the proposed revision. By using these sources, GSA felt this would align both DoD and federal standardization programs better. In other words, GSA tried to standardize its processes and procedures. dsp.dla.mil 15 15
Additionally, this proposed draft FSM captures knowledge gained from developments in U.S. policy affecting the standards community, such as the recent revision by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to OMB Circular A-119, Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and Conformity Assessment Activities. Although GSA is still coordinating the draft FSM, some of the proposed changes are listed by chapter below. CHAPTER 1. GENERAL POLICIES This chapter provides the authority for the Federal Standardization Program (FSP) and, consequently, to the FSM. It also points out that DoD is a major participant in the FSP. It explains GSA s responsibility for setting federal standardization policy and how GSA delegates Preparing Activity (PA) responsibility for specific assignments. The present policy pertaining to the program is contained in FMR section 102-27, which transitioned from FPMR 101-29. CHAPTER 2. USE OF NON-GOVERNMENT STANDARDS In this chapter, the nomenclature is revised so that non-government standards are now used instead of voluntary standards, so that GSA and DoD use a consistent term. CHAPTER 3. DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION AND MAINTENANCE OF FEDERAL PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS This chapter discusses the overarching procedures for the development, coordination, and maintenance of federal product descriptions (FPDs). It explains the circumstances under which an FPD should be developed, the order of preference, how to decide what document is applicable for development, how to initiate projects, the responsibility of the PA, and information on the coordination of documents. The document coordination time has been reduced to 30 days for all documents to be consistent with DoD practice. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Reviewing Activity (RA) may now respond directly to the PA with a copy to the custodian. If the custodian disagrees with any of the comments prepared by the RA, the custodian will contact the PA. GSA also hoped to use the Acquisition Streamlining and Standardization Information System (ASSIST) Document Coordination module; however, due to GSA and other federal agencies not having access via DoD Common Access Card, GSA will work on operational arrangements with the Defense Standardization Program Automation Office before looking to use such procedures. CHAPTER 4. INSTRUCTION FOR PREPARATION OF COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTIONS In this chapter, the introduction was expanded to include more historical information as a source for future corporate memory. For archival purposes, GSA is adding some of that historical information to its handbooks and manuals. For example, in the introduction of this chapter, information has been added about the Acquisition and Distribution of Commercial Products (ADCoP) Policy, 16 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
which was issued in May 1976 by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. This policy required agencies to purchase commercial products when practicable. The focus of the policy was to take advantage of the innovations and efficiencies in the commercial marketplace and to avoid developing government unique products when commercial products were available and able to meet user needs. The policy also emphasized the importance of knowing customers needs in conjunction with market conditions before drafting product descriptions. This sparked the birth of Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs). The first CID was published in 1979 as a result of ADCoP policy. Other changes in this chapter include revising the comment block on the first page to include the e-mail address of the PA. Wording has also been changed in the regulatory requirement section to encourage the use of not only recovered materials, but also recycled and/or environmentally preferable materials. Information was also included for allowing administrative notices for CIDs. Administrative notices can be issued to change points of contact, Federal Supply Class designations, or superseding information or to provide instructions on how to obtain and view documents. These are nontechnical changes in nature, therefore no coordination is required. Lastly, GSA expanded the number of digits allowed in the part or identification number from 15 to 32 digits. CHAPTER 5. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS In a draft specification, GSA previously instructed the PA to use the word PROPOSED in the heading. GSA revised this to state DRAFT instead. Similar to the CIDs, GSA revised the comment block on the first page to include the e-mail address of the PA. This chapter also ceased the pen-and-ink amendments to federal specifications and fully incorporates amendments into the source document. ASSIST is now cited as the source for federal and military specifications, standards, CIDs, and related standardization documents. When citing non-government standards bodies, both the physical address and e-mail addresses will need to be included. When qualification is included, a reference to either the Qualified Products Database or ASSIST must be added as the source for qualified product information. Regarding amendments, GSA is recommending that they be incorporated into federal specifications and no longer be standalone documents. GSA is also recommending that any changes be annotated by vertical lines or some other kind of marking. dsp.dla.mil 17
CHAPTER 6. QUALIFIED PRODUCTS DATABASE In this chapter, GSA clarified differences between both the DoD Qualification Program and the GSA Qualification Program. The following statement was added, DoD qualifying activities must follow the qualification procedures in DoDM 4120.24. GSA is also requesting input from stakeholders on whether the FSM should allow for Qualified Manufacturers Lists (QMLs) or prohibit QMLs from federal specifications. If stakeholders feel QMLs are necessary, GSA will then need to coordinate and provide instruction on how to develop and maintain QMLs within the FSM. CHAPTER 7. INSTRUCTION FOR THE PREPARATION OF FEDERAL STANDARDS Similar to amendments, change notices will be integrated into the full federal standard with changes annotated. The number of changes is limited to five. If there are more than five, a revision to the standard will need to be drafted. SEND YOUR COMMENTS GSA invites comments and/or feedback. If you would like to receive a draft copy of the FSM, please contact Jennifer Moffat, General Services Administration, Supply Chain Management, Plans and Policy Branch. She can be reached at 202-605-2567 or jennifer.moffat@gsa.gov. GSA looks forward to sharing more unified processes and procedures to standardize its FSM to align with DoD and federal standardization programs. 18 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
About the Author Jennifer Moffat is a program analyst serving the federal government for over 27 years. Since 2003, she has managed the Standardization Program within the General Services Administration, Federal Acquisition Service. Ms. Moffat is continuing to support the Standardization Program and Engineering within the Plans, Policy, and Program Integration Division of GSA s Office of Supply Chain Management. dsp.dla.mil 19
Program News Redesign of Air Force Test Set Achieves Savings and Improves Topical Information on Standardization Programs Check Out Our New Website The new and improved Defense Standardization Program Office (DSPO) website made its debut on May 27, 2016. The website began to gradually migrate to the AFPIMS (American Forces Public Information Management System) web platform in January 2016 and was led by dedicated DSPO team members LaTasha Beckman, Stephen Lowell, and Joseph Delorie. DSPO program managers have been trained to maintain their programs areas of the website. 20 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
Program News The website features a fresh, modernized layout with user-friendly navigation links. The home page displays featured news from the standardization community as well as a How Do I? section for frequently visited topics. Current and previous DSP Journal issues can be found under the Publications tab. Please visit the new website at http://www.dsp.dla.mil. dsp.dla.mil 21
Events Upcoming Events and Information October 24 28, 2016, Washington, DC World Standards Week World Standards Week will take place October 24 28 at several locations in Washington, DC. This is an annual event where members of the standards and conformity assessment community come together in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration. A comprehensive week of both meetings and events has been planned and this is a must attend for all standards professionals. For more information and event updates and locations, go to http:// www.ansi.org/wsweek. October 27, 2016, Washington, DC World Standards Day Celebration The World Standards Day Celebration (exhibition, reception, and banquet) will take place Thursday, October 27, at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC. The U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day is an event that recognizes the critical role of various stakeholders across the standards community, including business leaders, industry, academia, and government. Aside from the exhibition and reception, the event will include the presentation of the 2016 Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award, which is named after the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce and honors an individual who has effectively promoted standardization as a key tool in the elimination of global trade barriers. The winners of the 2016 World Standards Day Paper Competition will also be announced. For more information on this event, go to https://www. ansi.org/meetings_events/wsw16/wsd.aspx. November 1 3, 2016, Torrance, CA PSMC Fall 2016 Meeting The Parts Standardization and Management Committee (PSMC) will hold its fall 2016 meeting at Honeywell in Torrance, CA. Primary topic areas to be addressed include parts management contracts, procedures, and guidance; counterfeit parts and risk mitigation; and parts management tools and data. Attendance is open only to PSMC participants. If you are interested in becoming a PSMC participant, please contact Donna McMurry at Donna.McMurry@ dla.mil or 703-767-6874. November 28 December 1, 2016, Denver, CO DMSMS 2016 The 2016 Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages Conference will be conducted simultaneously with the Defense Manufacturing Conference, joining together their exhibitions to bring participants a diverse knowledge base in the manufacturing world and more networking opportunities, all in one location. While each conference will have its own unique agenda, focus its program to its specific conference audience, and have a separate registration procedure to attend, one registration fee will give access to both conferences. DMSMS 2016 registration is open to defense industry, military, and government personnel. See http://www.dmsmsmeeting. com/pages/registration.html#. 22 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
Events Upcoming Events and Information December 5 8, 2016, Albuquerque, NM 2016 DoD Maintenance Symposium The mission of the 2016 DoD Maintenance Symposium is to create an environment that enables attendees to share relevant information, identify critical issues, discuss key topics, and increase their awareness of Department of Defense maintenance initiatives. Join military, government, and industry leaders and maintainers from all levels at this distinctive, first-class event the maintenance community s primary venue for networking and content sharing. For more information or registration details, go to http:// www.sae.org/events/dod. January 25 27, 2017, Washington, DC SAE 2017 Government/Industry Meeting This forum provides opportunities for technical authorities from government, industry, and academia who are leading regulations, pending legislation, and advanced testing and technology to address the issues influencing future decision making within the industry. For more information, go to http:// www.sae.org/events/gim/. March 14 15, 2017, Knoxville, TN SAE 2017 Additive Manufacturing Symposium Get the latest information on innovations, technical advances, products, applications, and market issues. Deepen your knowledge of the challenges and solutions associated with the advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and processes. Network with the diverse community working on AM and with the manufacturers that implement and use AM. Identify new applications and potential new product design opportunities, and gain an understanding about designing products for AM. For more information, go to http://www.sae.org/events/ams/. June 5 9, 2017, Denver, CO AIAA Aviation Forum The AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and Exposition is the only aviation event that covers the entire integrated spectrum of aviation business and technology. Twelve technical conferences and a new demand for an unmanned aircraft system symposium in one location make this a must-attend event in 2017! Industry, academia, and government leaders will share their perspectives on the new challenges, future opportunities, and emerging trends in the global aviation industry. Plenary sessions examine some of the most critical issues in aviation today. The Forum 360 panel discussions build on the themes and discussions of each day s opening plenary session, adding a layer of content and context that enhances the value of your forum experience. An innovative and extensive technical program provides the latest in innovative research and developments that will drive advancements in aviation. For more information, go to http://www.aiaa-aviation.org/program/. dsp.dla.mil 23
People People in in the the Standardization Community Farewells Chris Ptachik, senior standardization subject matter expert and support contractor for the Air Force, has retired. From 1995 to 2016, Mr. Ptachik supported the Air Force during military specification and standards reform, and was also involved in the reorganization of the Air Force International Military Standardization Program. Throughout his career, Mr. Ptachik focused on materiel international standardization. He was also integral in the Air Force standards revitalization initiative and participated in several working groups under the auspices of the Defense Standardization Council. Mr. Ptachik will be sorely missed by the Air Force and the DSP community. We wish him well. Donald L. Kear passed away on October 1, 2016, at the age of 94. Mr. Kear began working at the Defense Electronic Supply Center in 1946, where he was the recipient of many honors for his contributions to standards engineering, including the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award. In 1947, he helped to found the Standards Engineering Society (SES) for Standards Professionals and remained active with SES after his retirement. Mr. Kear is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 73 years, 5 daughters and sons-in-law, 9 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. 24 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016
B m S AM P Upcoming Issues Call for Contributors We are always seeking articles that relate to our themes or other standardization topics. We invite anyone involved in standardization government employees, military personnel, industry leaders, members of academia, and others to submit proposed articles for use in the DSP Journal. Please let us know if you would like to contribute. Following are our themes for upcoming issues: Issue October/December 2016 January/March 2017 April/June 2017 July/September 2017 Theme Agency Standardization Space Standards Standardization Stars Warfighter Support If you have ideas for articles or want more information, contact Nicole Dumm, Editor, DSP Journal, Defense Standardization Program Office, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, STOP 5100, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6220 or e-mail DSP-Editor@dla.mil. Our office reserves the right to modify or reject any submission as deemed appropriate. We will be glad to send out our editorial guidelines and work with any author to get his or her material shaped into an article. Biometrics Standardization Secure Biometric Information Compact Biometric Messages The Biometrically Enabled Coalition dsp.dla.mil 25
26 DSP JOURNAL July/September 2016